EU SOLIDARITY FUND

This programme is the follow-up of the 2007-2013 European Union Solidarity fund.

Objectives

* To help, as quickly as possible, in mobilising emergency services to meet people’s immediate needs and contribute to the short-term restoration of damaged key infrastructure so that economic activity can resume in the disaster-stricken regions
* To complement the efforts of the States concerned and to cover a share of their public expenditure in order to help the beneficiary State to carry out the following essential emergency operations, depending on the type of disaster

Financed actions

* Immediate restoration to working order of infrastructure and plant in the fields of energy, water and waste water, telecommunications, transport, health and education
* Providing temporary accommodation and funding rescue services to meet the immediate needs of the population concerned
* Immediate securing of preventive infrastructures and measures of immediate protection of the cultural heritage
* Immediate cleaning up of disaster-stricken areas, including natural zones

Selection criteria

* When a major natural disaster with serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment or the economy in one or more regions or one or more countries occurs on the territory of that State
* When the amount of direct damage, for a “regional” disaster, is estimated to be 1.5% of the gross domestic product of the affected region (1% for outermost regions). Regional and local disasters causing damage at a level below this threshold are the responsibility of the Member State concerned, although they may be eligible for assistance from other Community funds

* The EUSF intervenes in the event of a major natural disaster if total direct damage caused by the disaster exceeds €3 billion or 0.6% of the country’s gross national income.

* Be careful, a grant shall be used within eighteen months of the date on which the Commission has disbursed the grant.